"Audax Guidebook" idea (cf. participation)

[EdinburghFixed]

For a while I have had a hankering to start writing up the rides I do on some sort of website. I thought an account (including GPS trace and whatnot) might be useful to others trying to hunt down info on a ride, as well as a record for myself of what I've got up to. As an example, there is a 'Border Raid' account on this page which for me was an important part of deciding to ride that event.

However, the recent "is growth possible in audax" discussion got me thinking. Perhaps it would be more useful to put some time towards a slightly different concept, which would be more of a "brochure" style website featuring particular rides in a less personal style - but still at greater length than the AUK calendar entry.

I think it's important to underline that this would not be a replacement for, or in any other way seek to change the actual AUK site (which many people are perfectly happy with, and fair enough).

Instead, it would be a separate and complimentary entity oriented towards all the potential riders out there, just like you and I, who have not made the leap to actually taking part (for reasons which I believe are mainly informational and not due to any actual inability to ride and enjoy a route).

In a nutshell, I imagine it "featuring" particular rides, with maps / traces, photos if possible (aware that I've never managed to take any decent audax pictures so this might be a big ask!) and so on. In terms of getting content on there, I vaguely imagine a small voluntary editorial group curating information provided by organisers (i.e. organisers wouldn't actually need to bother with using the site itself).

Possibly it might be useful to have some myth-busting side content like "do I really have to have a beard and wear socks and sandals" or "can I ride without a vintage 1920's steel frame and full mudguards" - who knows. It wouldn't need to be comprehensive - more a subset of rides for which particular organisers would like to make information more accessible and are open to the possibility that they might get a slightly larger field.

Having written this down, it seems (even to me) to sound a little bit like a rewrite of the AUK site, although that is not really what I'm trying to get at. Clearly the current AUK site works and that's fine by me - however I think an alternative format (where there's much more information on the individual rides and it's presented in a more accessible fashion) would have definite value.

For example, when trying to promote an event on your local club's website, wouldn't it be nice to be able to pop a link in to a page which has a map of the route on it, some pictures of the toughest climb/scenery/awesome cake stop (delete as appropriate depending on what sort of people you're advertising to ;P ), possibly some testimony from riders of previous editions ("it was the hardest thing I've ever done, never again" is probably not what we'd want though!)

I just wanted to drop this out as a thought experiment, particularly for any feedback from organisers or people who expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo on the other topic. Maybe it would never work, or just be extra effort for no significant gain - in which case, fair enough!

(PS. before anybody asks, I would envision volunteering myself on this, which should go without saying)

[Chris S]

Excellent idea 

[mattc]

Forgive me EF, but doesn't this stuff already exist?

AUKWeb has a FAQ (as does YACF!), there are zillions of ride reports out there, many of which reference photos and GPS logs, and many events already promote themselves with piccies and other PR .

Need info on a ride? Start a topic here, or on various other InterWeb meeting places. I'm sure you can find a topic like
"Newbie thinking of riding the BCM - help!!!" and you will see a dozen helpful responses (and 40 more enthusiastic ones!)

[saturn]

I don't know how it would be done technically but it would be great if people (participants as well as organisers) could contribute their own reports directly with minimal editorial effort being required.

I think having a specific focus on audaxes might be attractive. I think there may be various sites to which people can submit general rides (don't the CTC offer this for example?) plus of course some people do it on a site of their own. Given the variability in the degree of info available for audaxes it would be a great resource for existing audaxers as well as a useful promotional tool for those who might be contemplating their first audax. I'd be concerned that extending it to general ride reports / suggestions might dilute it but maybe it would be possible to have sections for each type of ride /  event?

I'd certainly be happy to contribute a brief report of any audax I do.

[rottenhat]

Yes, an excellent suggestion - I've been working on something similar for Ireland (which is obviously a much smaller task) and to judge from the usage statistics, there are a fair number of people visiting it, and it is slowly becoming more comprehensive.  Unless you have a very large team working on it, you'd probably want to start with the events that are generally considered the best before moving on to the unsung pleasures of UK audax.

[Euan Uzami]

good idea. If it's a one stop shop for definitely maps/gpx routes, but preferably also photos, reports and advice, that'd make it qutie popular

[Karla]

It sounds good, I'll happily contribute material if you want.

[Jaded]

Great idea.

There are ride reports, but they tend to be unstructured, or arbitrarily structured. Some are just words, some just photos, some with lots of tech stuff, some with just pain.

To have a kind of loose template to hang similar stuff on would be great.

[David Martin]

How about a book along the lines of the 'Classic Rock' series, covering the country's best audax rides at each distance? Mixture of guidebook, ride report, photos and routesheets.

..d

[EdinburghFixed]

Forgive me EF, but doesn't this stuff already exist?

AUKWeb has a FAQ (as does YACF!), there are zillions of ride reports out there, many of which reference photos and GPS logs, and many events already promote themselves with piccies and other PR .

Need info on a ride? Start a topic here, or on various other InterWeb meeting places. I'm sure you can find a topic like
"Newbie thinking of riding the BCM - help!!!" and you will see a dozen helpful responses (and 40 more enthusiastic ones!)

I agree that the information is all there (in some cases at least!), if you're willing to search out ride reports and other material from different places on Google, and potentially find a forum, register for it, and then make a post. This is more or less what I joined YACF for - see my first ever post.

But, again, I think there are no shortage of riders (perhaps even existing randonneurs) for whom this isn't ideal. And I think it's noteworthy that the "gateway" events (200's but particularly BPs?) are amongst the least likely to have information; as a case in point, see the awesome Mille Cymru website.

If you consider the 1000k+ rides to be the sharp end of a participation pyramid, there ought to be many BPs that are similarly well "advertised", even if only a small proportion of organisers have the time to do so - but are there?

[vorsprung]

What you are describing is "Arrivee" magazine but online instead of on dead tree

[Panoramix]

It would be quite good to be in a wiki or CMS form so that everybody can contribute!

[DanialW]

I think this is such an ace idea. 

Could this perhaps be integrated into the AUK website and calendar? One of the points made in the earlier thread about the future of AUK was that there was sometimes a paucity of information about an event or ride.

It would be great if more calendar events had not such gpx files and routesheets ready to download, but ride reports, photos and even just thumbsups.

The Bryan Chapman and The Elenith are great rides. But I suspect they are popular because they are popular. In other words, new riders gravitate to them because they read lots about them and pick up on the buzz. However The Three Coasts is also a great ride, that struggles to be viable. Perhaps if there were more ride reports and recommendations on the website, more people might add it to their list of audax goals.

So, if you're going to actually go for this, and I really hope you do, please include Pete Coates into your plans.

[mattc]

When we discussed the information-about-perms problem in 07, I suggested a Wiki for all these reasons.

The main problem pointed out was that it would mean AUK hosting content that might criticise its organisers.

But otherwise, it's a great way to go (which is why I suggested it )

[DanialW]

The main problem pointed out was that it would mean AUK hosting content that might criticise its organisers.

I worried about that as well. But it can be easily solved by asking people for recommendations, rather than feedback. It's a bit like the old customer service adage: "If it was bad, please tell us. If it was good, tell your friends."

[thing1]

Unknowingly, I re-suggested the wiki of perms idea earlier this year, and the companion issue of moderation was raised.

It's something that could be started outside of the confines of aukweb.net, and perhaps in fullness of time aukweb would feel comfortable to link out to wiki entries (or, the wiki be the primary entry point and folks just get directed through to aukweb to make enter the event or lookup results tables).

[mattc]

Riders who packed on this event also DNFed on the following rides:

[Weirdy Biker]

As an organiser, I have mixed feelings about this kind of thing.

I'd much rather have editorial control in relation to information about my events.  Hence why I set up a website that provides information I think is relevant.

Then again, something that shares actual rider experiences has some value.

Strangely, with my organiser hat on, I'd be more comfortable with a site that gives reviews/ratings in relation to my rides.  I may be the exception though.

[Manotea]

So whinges about Audaxes are likely to be equally informative:

About the author as much as the ride, especially if the reader can link to the posters other posts/feedback.

This is taking us into the sphere of a full on 'social-networking' website...

[Chris S]

This is taking us into the sphere of a full on 'social-networking' website...

I see good in this. Audax is undertaken (mostly) by humans after all, and is therefore a social activity - regardless of the socially phobic stereotypes.

[Greenbank]

Audax is undertaken (mostly) by humans after all

Which one is that? I haven't run across it yet...

[Euan Uzami]

...
"Too many narrow lanes with grass down the middle."
...

 

is it possible to have too many of them?  

[Euan Uzami]

"Not one of the five hot dishes provided at the finish was vegetarian"

again, please tell me which audax that was 'cos i must do it - it sounds great

[Jaded]

Personally I do not think it should be a sort of electronic version of Arrivée.

Arrivée can be impenetrable and, for the purposes mentioned in the OP, has far too many words.

[Feline]

I think the idea of a database where we could look up routes would be extremely useful. I am currently searching the net for a route for the four leaf clover I am doing next weekend and cannot find anything at all. Since I am crap at reading maps, don't own any and always get lost when trying to follow instructions I can see my first Audax aint going to go real well